Peter denies Jesus three times on the night of Jesus’ arrest and trial. The only other time the verb “deny” is used in the NT, it’s used of “self-denial,” which is immediately connected to “taking up the cross.”
There are thus two options: Deny self by professing Jesus, and face the threat of the cross; or, deny Jesus out of fear and self-protection, and avoid the cross.
Jesus and Peter provide the exemplars. Jesus denies Himself, submits to the will of His Father and drinks the cup, and goes to the cross. Peter denies Jesus, and cleverly avoids the cross.
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